Players and detection
Which players 9xLyrics can see, how it picks one, and what to do when it sees nothing.
9xLyrics does not connect to any music service. It reads what your operating system already knows about what is playing, which is why it works with players nobody wrote an integration for — including a browser tab.
How each system reports it
| System | How | What that covers |
|---|---|---|
| macOS | The system Now Playing information, with AppleScript for Apple Music and Spotify | Whatever macOS considers the active source |
| Windows | SMTC — the same media session that drives your keyboard's play button | Anything that registers media controls: Spotify, browsers, VLC |
| Linux | MPRIS over D-Bus | Nearly every player: Spotify, VLC, Rhythmbox, mpv, and browsers |
If a player puts a title on your media keys or your lock screen, 9xLyrics can usually see it.
Picking one
When two things are playing, 9xLyrics follows one — normally whichever the system calls active. Settings › General › Music player pins it to a specific app instead, which is worth doing if you keep a browser tab paused on a video and do not want it competing with your music.
Browsers on Linux
Chrome and its relatives announce themselves over MPRIS but do not describe themselves when asked, which used to make them invisible here. 9xLyrics assumes the standard interface for a player that answers nothing, so YouTube and other browser players are found normally.
When nothing is detected
Work down this list — the first two account for most of it:
- Is the player actually reporting? Press your keyboard's play/pause key. If it does not control the player, the system cannot see it either, and neither can 9xLyrics.
- Is something else winning? Pin the player in Settings › General › Player.
- Has detection been paused? It stops while the machine sleeps and restarts a few seconds after waking. Give it a moment after opening the lid.
- Linux only — the player must support MPRIS. Almost all do; a few niche ones do not.
Position and seeking follow the same route. A player that reports its position lets lyrics stay in sync when you scrub; one that does not will drift until the next track.